Apparatus for gauging and sorting lengths of tubing or rod



Dec. 18, 1951 c SPICER ETAL 2,579,129

APPARATUS FOR GAUGING AND SORTING LENGTHS OF TUBING OR ROD 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 22, 194'? Inven lrovs: Cplv tis D. Spicer, Advien F. CasLer, b3

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Dec. 18,1951 c. D. SPICER arm.

APPARATUS FOR GAUGING AND SORTING LENGTHS OF TUBING OR ROD 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22, 1947 lnvervbovs Curdris D. Spicer,

Advien F. CasLeT",

Their A t' covneg.

Dec. 18, 1951 c. D. SPICER ETAL 2,579,129

APPARATUS FOR GAUGING AND SORTING LENGTHS OF TUBING OR ROD 5 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed April 22, 1947 lnvewbor's: CLlFL'iS D. SpiceT", Adrien ,CasLer,

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Patented Dec. 18, 1951 APPARATUS FOR GAUGING AND SORTING LENGTHS OF TUBING R ROD Curtis D. Spicer, Warren, Pa., and Adrien F. Casler, East Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application April 22, 1947, Serial No. 743,068

Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for gauging standard lengths of vitreous tubing or rod, and

more particularly to apparatus for automatically sorting said lengths of tubing or rod into a multiplicity of size groups indicative of the outside group within the efilcient operation limits of differently adjusted machines and of different types of machines.

The principal object of this invention is to provide apparatus for automatically gauging standard lengths of vitreous tubing or rod and sorting said lengths into separate groups according to their outside diameter at a high rate. of speed.

.The object is attained in one instance by apparatus which advances the lengths of tubing or rod through the various gauging operations in an uninterrupted course of movement and efiects the separation of said lengths of tubing or rod without an interruption in said movement. Such apparatus is well suited to high operating speeds since the lengths of tubing or rod are not apt to be broken or to jiggle or rebound from place and otherwise interfere with the normal operations of the apparatus.

Another object of this invention is to provide high speed automatic apparatus for accurately gauging lengths of tubing or rod and for sorting said lengths into size groups of very limited variation indicative of the actual average size of said lengths. The eiiective and efficient use of such gauging and sorting apparatus requires that the gauging and sorting operations be performed accurately in their entirety. To that end, the present gauging apparatus provides means of accurately duplicating the pressure of engagement of the lengths of tubing or rod with the gauge means and of effectviely producing the sorting operation in accord with the positive findings of the gauge means.

Other objects and advantages of this invenchain and sprocket portions have been broken away; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the gauging and sorting apparatus from which an intermediate duplicate-shaped portion and a substantial portion of the near side have been broken away; and Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views on a larger scale of portions of the conveying and gauging carriages and chains, the latter view being broken away and partially in phantom to more clearly show the gauging means.

The lengths of vitreous tubing I to be gauged and sorted are fed into the apparatus manually from a supply thereof placed upon the tray 2 (disclosed in part in Fig. 2) which tray 2 is mounted at a stationary position opposite the inclined portions of the parallel arranged conveyor chains 3, 3 (Fig. 1). The lengths of tubing I are fed along the inclined tray 2 at such a uniform rate that the regular upward movement of the conveyor chains 3, 3 causes each of the teeth 4 of the carriages 5 to catch and pick up single lengths of tubing I which roll to the bases of the slots 4 therein. Because of the spaced relation of the chains 3, 3 the lengths of tubing I are engaged at opposite end portions by the carriages 5.

All further operations of the apparatus, which are now outlined in a general way, occur along the course of movement of the conveyor chains 3, 3 which chains 3, 3 pass up and over the sprockets 6 and thereby position the mid-portions of the lengths of tubing I over corresponding slots in the carriages I of the chain 8 which carriages I are a part of and directly associated with the gauging means of this apparatus. Further movement of the chains 3, 3 carry them along a gradually declining path which gradually lowers the lengths of tubing I into the slots 1 in the carriages I of the gauging means. The rate of movement of the conveyor chains 3, 3 is that of the gauging chain 8 which is of endless form and extends about the sprockets 9, II] at opposite ends of the apparatus in an extensive span much longer than shown in the drawing. The gradual character of the descent of the lengths of tubing I in the course of the movement through most of the upper span of the gauging chain 8 permits the apparatus to be operated at very high speeds while maintaining the careful placement of said lengths of tubing I' in the gauging means. The careful placement of the lengths of tubing assures exact duplication of the gauging operation. At the furthest limit of movement the conveyor chains 3, 3 extend over sprockets (not shown) which correspond to the sprocket III on the shaft II and which form in combination with said sprockets and shaft II' the means of moving the gauging chain 8 in synchronism with said chains 3, 3.

In the furthest extent of the movement of the chains 3, 3 and 8 which carries them onto the sprockets on shaft II, the gauging means of the carriage l is adjusted to its initial operating position wherein the open ends of the slots 1' are reduced in width and confine the lengths of tubing I. The sprockets on shaft I I carry the chains 3, 3 and 8 down and under their previous course of movement and at the same time reverse their direction of movement and turn the carriages 5, and I from an upright to an inverted position. Further movement of the conveyor and gauging chains 3, 3 and 8 along the lower span causes the slots 1' of the gauging carriage l to be opened progressively so that different sizes of the lengths of tubing I are released at different locations along the course of travel, and fall onto separate pads I2 and roll to segregating hoppers I3 along said span of movement. This course of movement can be of such length that ten or more different sizes of lengths of tubing I are selected at very high rates of speed and so accurately controlled that very fine differences of selection can be established. The conveyor and gauging chains 3, 3 and 8 pass to different courses of movement at the furthest extent of the lower span thereof, the latter passing up and around the sprocket 9 and the former passing over and thence down about sprockets I4, I4. The portions (not shown) of the conveyor chains 3, 3 located between sprockets I4, I4 and 6-, 6 complete the continuous extent thereof and connect said conveyor chains 3, 3 to the single source of power (not shown) for operating the entire gauging and sorting apparatus.

Now more in detail, the operation of the gauging and sorting apparatus requires that lengths of tubing I be fed in each of the slots 4' in the carriages 5 of the conveyor chains 3, 3 as they are presented opposite the tray 2. In the instance shown, the lengths of tubing I are advanced, under manual control, down the sloping surface of the tray 2 which is mounted at a fixed position on the opposite'side members of the frame I5 of the apparatus as previously described. In another instance, the lengths of tubing I are received from a mechanical means which may be the gauging and sorting apparatus disclosed in our copending patent application Serial No. 743,069, of even date, now Patent Number 2,525,050 patented October 10, 1950, which means is operated from the same source as the conveyor chains 3, 3 so as to be in synchronism therewith. In this latter instance, the gauging and sorting apparatus which functions as the feeding means separates out all lengths of tubing I of a larger or smaller size than the limits of operation of the present apparatus and such lengths of tubing I as are tapered at either end beyond said limits. A feature of the present apparatus is that its gauging and sorting functions, which are determined by the average size of the center of the length of tubing I, are in combination with the gauging and sorting apparatus hereinbefore referred to, adapted to sort out lengths of tubing I within narrow size ranges and varying little from end to end.

The conveyor chains 3, 3 are each formed by two trains I6, I6 of links interconnected at regular intervals by the pairs of pins I1 and I8, and they support the carriages 5 through engagement of said pins II and I8 with opposite end portions thereof. The carriages 5 (Fig. 3) are of fiat plate form and are supported, through a hole 20' and a slot 20, on portions of the pins II and I8 of reduced section and between shoulders thereon and the sleeves I9 over the reduced portions thereof. The slot 20 in the carriage 5 and the ofiset position of alternate carriages 5 prevent binding and interference of parts as the conveyor chains 3, 3 take a curved path of movement over the sprockets of the apparatus. Flanges 2| on certain of the links of both trains I6, I6 of each conveyor chain 3 function as guides for causing said trains I5, I6 to properly engage the various sprockets of the apparatus, and in the instance of sprocket 5 shown in section in Fig. 1 the said flanges 2I' engage the inner faces of the toothed discs 22, 22 which, together with the hub 23, make up said sprocket 6. All other sprockets engaging the conveyor chains 3, 3 and the gauging chain 8 are correspondingly constructed. However, the sprockets, 6, 5 which redirect the conveyor chain 3, 3 in its passage from the feeding position into the upper span of movement thereof, are free running and, as shown in section in one instance, ride on the ball bearings 24, 24 carried by a relatively short spindle 25. Corresponding brackets 25' and 21 engaging opposite ends of the spindles 25 provide the support therefore and, like very similar brackets 28 and 29 engaging the support spindle 30 for sprocket 9, are mounted on a cross bar 3I extending between the side members 32, 32 of the frame I5 of the apparatus.

The lengths of tubing I received by the conveyor carriages 5 are divided into succeeding groups of three, the number of slots 4' in each of said carriages 5, and when advanced into the upper span of movement so as to be positioned over the carriages I of the gauging means, are located directly over three corresponding slots I in said carriage I. Further movement of the carriages 5 and I maintains the relationship of the lengths of tubing I and slots 4', I and gradually lowers said tubing I through the open ends and to the bases of the slots 1' as the paths of movement of the chains 3, 3 and 8, draw closer together. In the presently described period of movementof the chains 3, 3 and 8 which advances them across the extensive length of the upper span of the apparatus, additional support is provided said chains 3, 3 and 8 by the guide rails 33 and 34 which are located directly below their path of movement and along which said chains 3, 3 and 8 slide. The rails 33 and 34 are mounted at one end on upstanding branches of the brackets 26, 28 and 21, 29 respectively and at the opposite end on corresponding brackets 35 (only one being shown, Fig. 2) mounted on the cross bar 36 extending between the side members 32, 32 of the frame I5 of the apparatus.

The movement of the gauging carriage l, which is comprised of two fixed slotted plates 3I3'I (Fig. 4) and separable gauge means located therebetween and which is mounted between the two interconnected trains 38, 38 of links forming the chain 8, also causes the gauge means to be actuated to the open position by advancing the roller 39 on the actuating arm 40 thereof into engagement with the stationary cam 4|. The slotted plates 31, 31 function as guide means for the lengths of tubing I to assist in causing saidlengths of tubing to pass between the fixed gauge rollers 42 mounted on the pins 43 extending between said plates 31, 31 at one side of the slots 1' and the movable gauge of reduced diameter between a shoulder thereon and the sleeves 46 and 41; and said plates 31, 31 are supported at the opposite'end on a. pin 48 carried by the arms 49, 49 on the pins 58, 58 as shown in section in Fig. 4. The pin 45 provides a fixed mounting for the carriage .1 establishing the exact relation of said carriage 1 with respect to the chain 8, the opposite trains 38, 38 of links of which it connects. The pin 48, arms 49, 49 and pins 58, 58, in turn, join the trains 38, 38 of links of the chain 8 together and permit the limited independent movement on one end of the carriage 1 which is necessary to allow said links to draw closer together when said chain 8 passes over one of the sprockets of the apparatus. The three gauge fingersv44 of the carriage 1 are interconnected by a bar portion mounted at one end on a pin 52 extending between corresponding arms 53, 53 pivoted on a second pin 54 carried by the slotted plates 31, 31, and at theopposite end on the pin 54 held by arm 48. The swinging movement afforded by the arms 53, 53 and the longitudinal slot 5| in bar 5| about the pin 48 allow movement of said bar 5| providing adjustment of the gauge fingers 44 transverse to the slots 1' in the carriage 1 and to gauge rollers 42, which adjustment is under the control of the actuating arm 48 engaging the said bar 5| through the pin 54. The actuating arm 48 is'pivoted about bosses 55, 55 on opposite sides thereof which are held in corresponding shaped openings in the slotted plates 31, 31, and said arm 48 supports the pin 54' at an offset relation to the pivot formed by said bosses 55, 55 whereby motion of the actuating arm 48, as by cam 4|, causes a greatly reduced adjustment of the position of the gauge fingers 44. A helical compression spring 56 located between the bar 5| and actuating arm. 48 tends to move said actuating arm 48 to a position bringingthe gauge fingers 44 as close to the gauge rollers 42 as possible, a movement which is the opposite of that produced byengagement with cam 4|.

The advance of the gauging carriage 1 along the upper span of movement causes the roller 39 on the actuating arm 48 to ride up the inclined surface of the cam 4| which is mounted directly below the path of movement of the carriage 1 on a plurality of studs 51 extending upward from the longitudinally extending frame member 58 which, in turn, is mounted on the cross bars 3| and 36. The resulting movement of the actuating arm 48 separates the gauge fingers 44 from the gauge rollers 42 for a sufficient interval to allow the lengths of tubing to pass therebetween and finally, as the conveyor and gauging chains 3, 3 and 8 come almost into alignment, to rest at the bases of the slots 1' in the plates 31, 31. Finally, as the traverse of the upper span is completed, the roller 39 passes beyond the end of the cam 4| and the expansion force of the spring 56 swings the actuating arm 48 so that the gauge fingers 44 move toward the gauge rollers 42 to their inward limit of motion as defined by the engagement of the detents 59, 59 on the actuating arm 48 with the pin 48. At the latter position the gauge fingers 44 trap the lengths of tubing below the gauge rollers 42 and prevent said lengths of tubing from falling from the slots 1 in the gauging carriage 1 as further movement of the conveyor and gauging chains 3, 3 and 8 causes them to pass around their respective sprockets on shaft H to an inverted position.

The succeeding course of travel of the conveyor and gauging carriages 5, 5 and 1, during which the carriages 5, 5 have only a steadying function on the lengths of tubing l, advances the lengths of tubing through the lower span of the apparatus wherein the actuating arm 48 is again adjusted and the lengths of tubing which are released from said carriages 5, 5 and 1 through said adjustment fall onto one or another of a plurality of pads l2 and then roll into an associated hopper l3 located therebelow.

The adjustment of the actuating arm 48 is effected through engagement of the roller 39 thereon with the stationary cam 68 which is mounted on a plurality of studs 6| extending from the longitudinal frame member -62 carried by the cross bars 3| and 36 and which progressively adjusts the actuating arm 48 and the gauge fingers 44 because of the uniformly declining surface thereof. Guide rails 63 and 64 on opposite sides of the con veyor chains 3, 3 and the gauging chain 8 confine the said chains 3, 3 and 8 to a straight path of movement and prevent the pressure of engagement of the cam 68 and roller 39 from deflecting the chain 8 and carriage 1 from said path and thereby disturbing the adjustment thereof. The guide rails 63 are mounted at one 1 end of the downwardly extending branches of the brackets 26, 21, 28 and 29 and at the opposite end on corresponding branches of the brackets (only one being shown, Fig. 2) whereas guide rails 64 are mounted on and spaced from guide rail 63 by means of the blocks 65.

The adjustment of the actuating arm 48 is such that the three gauge fingers 44 are initially separated from the fixed gauge rollers 42 just sufficiently to allow the smallest diameter lengths of tubing I normally expected to be encountered to pass therebetween and progresses at such a rate that the gauge fingers 44 are separated from said gauge rollers 42 an amount equal to thesize range of one selection in passing across the width of the pad l2. The extent of the adjustment can be at a uniform or non-uniform rate over the lim-.

its of operation of the-operating arm 48, as desired, so that gauge fingers 44 are moved amounts equal to the difference between limits of the size ranges to be selected in passing over each ofth':

succeeding pads l2. In the present instance the declination of the cam 68 is almost uniform from end to end and the selections falling onto succeeding pads I2, of which there are ten (although only three, appear in the drawing) and then rolling-into respective hoppers l3 are of equal size range.

To avoid any overlapping of size selections as the preceding slots in a gauging carriage 1 pass over one pad l2 while the following slots of the same carriage are still over a different pad |2, it is necessary that each of the three gauge fingers 44 and gauge rollers 42 thereof be spaced different amounts. The difference between the spacings of the gauge fingers 44 and gauge rollers42 of successive slots 1' must be equal to the adjustment made by the actuating arm 48 in advancing one slot to the position of the preceding slot as the gauge fingers 44 and gauge rollers 42 are then spaced correspondingly at the time of passing over any given location in the course of movement. The relation of the gauge means associated with each of the slots 1 in the gauging carriage I together with rate of adjustment thereof determines the diflerence in spacing of the various portions of said gauge means. In the present instance each of the gauge rollers 42 is mounted on an eccentric portion of the supporting pin 43 which can be turned to change the relation of said gauge roller 42 with respect to the gauge finger 44 and alter the spacing therebetween after the nut on said pin I3 is loosened. The above combination of means provide apparatus capable of separating tubing and rod intogroups of only .001" difierence in size. Finally, as the gauging carriage 1 passes beyond the last pad l2 all of the lengths of tubing I will have dropped therefrom and said gauging carriage I will move up around sprocket 9 and into another cycle of operation. The conveyor carriages at such times pass down around the sprockets H, N, which are mounted on the shaft 65, to the driving means and thence upward into the succeeding cycle of operation. The opposite ends of the shaft 66 are supported by the bearing blocks 61, 61 which are mounted on portions oi the frame l5.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a gauging and sorting machine for tubes or rods, the combination of a gauging chain, gauging carriages on said chain having slots adapted to receive the tubes or rods and having associated therewith separable gauge means on said chain adapted to confine the tubes or rods in said slots, saidchain carrying said carriages through a course of movement wherein the carriages are first in upright position and then in inverted position, means comprising conveyor chains mounted on opposite sides 01' said gauging chain for movement along with and in a path coextensive with a substantial portion of the path of said gauging chain and arranged to carry the midportions of the tubes or rods into the slots in said carriages and thereafter steady the tubes or rods through continued engagement with the opposite ends thereof during the gauging operation, means for separating said gauge means temporarily I while said carriages are in upright position to permit the tubes or rods to pass therebetween, means for progressively separating said gauge means while the carriages are moving in inverted position, and means at successive locations along the path of movement for segregating the tubes or rods as they are dropped from the inverted carriages.

. 2. In a gauging and sorting machine for tubes or rods, the combination of a gauging chain, auging carriages on said chain having the slots adapted to receive the tubes or rods and having associated therewith separable gauge means on 'said chain adapted to'confine thetubes or rods in said slots, said chain carrying said carriages through a course of movement wherein the carriages are first in upright position and then in inverted position, means comprising conveyor chains mounted on opposite sides of said gauging the path of the gauging chain during travel of the carriages in their upright position so as to gently lower the tubes or rods into the carriages; means for separating said gauge means temporarily while said carriages are in upright position to permit the tubes or rods to pass therebetween, means for progressively separating said auge means while the carriages are moving in inverted position, and means at successive locations along the path of movement for segregating the tubes or rods as they are dropped from the inverted carriages.

3. In a device of the class described, a conveyor chain carryin gauging carriages each comprising a pair of relatively fixed and spaced parallel plates having a plurality of pairs of aligned slots therein adapted to hold tubes or rods, and gauging means between said plates comprising fixed rolls mounted on said plates and cooperating movable, fingers opposite said rolls, said rolls and fingers being arranged in pairs located in ation, said conveyor chains being further mountalignment with the said pairs of aligned slots, andsaid fingers being rigidly interconnected by a bar portion attached at one end to said plates for movement in unison relative thereto, each of said fingers cooperating with its respective roll to confine one of said tubes or rods within the associated aligned slot, and means for progres sively moving said fingers away from said rolls during movement of said carriage to release the tubes or rods at predetermined locations in their path of movement according to their size.

4. In a device of the class described, a conveyor chain carrying gauging carriages each comprising a pair of relatively fixed and spaced parallel plates having a plurality of pairs of aligned slots therein adapted to hold tubes or rods, and gauging means between said plates comprising fixed rolls mounted on said plates and cooperating movable fingers opposite said rolls, said rolls and fingers being arranged in pairs located in alignment with the said pairs of aligned slots. and said fingers being rigidly interconnected by a bar portion attached at one end to said plates for movement in unison relative thereto, each of said fingers cooperating with its respective roll to confine one of said tubes or rods within the associated aligned slot, and means, for continuously and uniformly moving said fingers away from said runs during movement of said carriage to release the tubes or rods at predetermined locations in their path of movement according to their size, successive ones of said fingers being normally spaced from their cooperating rolls by uniformly decreased amounts correlated to the rate of movement of said fingers away from said rolls during the gauging operation so as to release tubes of the same size at the'same point in their path of movement.

5'. In a device of the class described for gauging and sorting rods or tubes, aconveyor chain carrying gauging carriages each comprising a plurality of gauge means having normally spaced and relatively movable gauging members corresponding ones of which are interconnected to move in unison, means for continuously and uniformly separating said gauging members during movement of said carriage to release the tubes or rods at predetermined locations in their path of travel according to their size, successive ones of said pairs of gauging members being normally 'spaced apart by uniformly decreased amounts correlated to the rate of separation thereof during the gauging operation so as to release tubes REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 475,497 Fleming May 24, 1892 1,626,359 Rundell Apr. 26, 1927 Number Number 10 Name Date Smith Sept. 16, 1930 Harrison June 7, 1932 Champlin Aug. 23, 1932 Foon May 16, 1933 Gray Jan. 26, 1937 Ja-eckel Aug. 19, 1941 Snyder Sept. 18, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Apr. 20, 1916 

